Golf bag



June 30, 1964 H. B. SHILLER 3,139,132

GOLF BAG Filed Sept. 7, 1962 I Il 1 mum,

INVENTOR. HFIRRY B. SH/LLER QWJW H T TORNEY United States Patent 3,139,132 GOLF BAG Harry B. Shiller, 135 W. 225th St., New York, NY. Filed Sept. 7, 1962, Ser. No. 222,139 Claims. (Cl. ISO-1.5)

This invention relates generally to golf bags and more particularly to a golf bag so constructed as to readily retain a plurality of golf clubs therein in predetermined arrangement and segregation.

Heretofore it has been common practice to provide golf bags with partitions so that the shafts of two or more golf clubs may be separated from one another but these prior arrangements have not proven eflective in preventing the heads of the clubs from knocking together when placing woods or irons in the bag or when removing woods or irons and have not proven effective in preventing the heads knocking together when the bag is being transported. It has also been found desirable to protect the heads of the woods by means of small hoods made of a suitable fabric material.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a golf bag with means for supporting the clubs in an orderly fashion so that each club is readily available and avoids the liability of damage to the adjacent clubs when they are being carried around the golf course or are being transported or stored.

Another object of the invention is to provide a golf bag with means adapted to receive and hold the clubs individually and to hold them against rattling, against lateral displacement and against rubbing engagement with one another.

A further object is to provide a golf bag with means which enables hoods to be dispensed with while at the same time the risk of damage to the club heads is greatly reduced, such bag being characterized by the provision of a number of stalls separated from one another by partitions and each adapted to receive the shaft of a club and to maintain the head of the club out of contact with the head of another club situated in an adjacent stall.

For further comprehension of the invention and of the advantages and objects thereof reference will be had to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing and to the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a golf bag embodying my invention, showing several clubs in supported position.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view on an enlarged scale, the clubs being omitted.

, FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 44 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the mounting of the bottom end of one of the partitions shown in FIG. 4.

Referring in detail to the various views of the drawing, in FIG. 1 a golf bag embodying my invention is illustrated and designated generally by the reference numeral 10. The bag may be composed of leather, fabric, plastic or any other suitable bag material. The body of the bag is of ordinary tubular construction, substantially rectangular in cross-section with a bottom wall or base 12 and is open at the top providing a mouth 14. A handle 16 projects from the body intermediate the ends thereof and the body may be provided with a shoulder strap for carrying the bag.

In accordance with the present invention, two golf club supporting rack assemblies 20 and 22 are positioned in the bag adjacent the mouth 14. The rack assembly 20 comprises a rectangular-shaped metal plate 24. The

3,139,132 Patented June 30, 1964 plate 24 has a hollow body rectangular in configuration and cross-section. Along its center, from end to end, the material of the plate extends upwardly around and downwardly as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 3 forming an upstanding hollow ridge or flange 26. Opposite the ridge or flange, the material of the body extends downwardly as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 3 providing a pair of closely spaced flanges 28, 23 extending the length of the body of the plate. The flanges 28, 28 constitute a socket.

An elongated vertically disposed rectangular-shaped thin supporting plate or partition 30 of cardboard, plastic or other suitable material has one end seated in the socket constituted by the flanges 28, 28 and is secured therein by spaced rivets 31 extending through aligned holes in the flanges and plate 30. The bottom end of plate 36 is fastened to the bottom wall or base 12 of the body of the bag by means of a pair of spaced U-shaped fastening clips 32, the bight portions of which are reduced in width and extend through slots 34 in the bottom wall 12 in the form of closed loop portions 36. The loop portions 56 extend outwardly of the bottom wall. Rivets 33 passing through aligned holes in the plate 30 and clips 32 fasten the clips to the plate. An elongated round rod 40 projects through the extending loop portions 36, along the outside surface of the bottom wall and is provided wih bent ends 42 to prevent withdrawal.

A series of notches 44 are formed in one long edge of the plate 24 and a series of spaced notches 46 in the other long edge. Five notches 44 and four notches 46 are shown. Each notch constitutes a stall.

A pair of roller units 50 are mounted in each of the notches or stalls 44 and 46. Each roller unit comprises an elongated rubber roller 52 rotatably mounted between a pair of perforated cars 54 projecting from one end of a vertically disposed pivoted arm 56 spring-pressed by means of spring 58 toward the center of the notch or stall.

The rack assembly 22 is similar to the rack assembly 20 but is narrower, consisting of a rectangular shaped metal plate 60. The plate 60 has a hollow body rectangular in configuration and cross-section. Along one long edge from end to end the material of the plate extends upwardly around and downwardly as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 3 formin an upstanding hollow flange or ridge 62 extending along one long edge thereof from end to end of the plate. A series of spaced notches or stalls 64 similar to the notches or stalls 44 or 46 are formed in the other long edge of plate 64), facing toward the adjacent end wall. Five notches 64 are shown. Opposite the ridge 62, the material of the body extends downwardly as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 3 providing a pair of closely spaced flanges 66 extending the length of the plate. The flanges 66 constitute a socket.

A partitioning plate 70, similar to plate 30, has one end seated in socket constituted by the flanges 66 and is secured therein by spaced rivets 72 extending through aligned holes in the flanges 66 and plate 70. The bottom of plate 79 is secured to the bottom wall 12 similarly to the bottom of plate 30 by U-shaped fastening clips 74 with looped bight portions 76 extending through slots 77 in the bottom Wall. Rivets fasten the clips to the plate. A round rod 78 similar to rod 40 projects through the extending looped bight portions and extends along the outer surface of the bottom wall securing the partition plate 70 to the bottom wall. Bent ends on the rod 78 prevent withdrawal of the rod. The plates 30 and 70 serve to support the rack assemblies 20 and 22, respectively, and serve to partition the interior of the body of the bag into compartments 82, 84 and 86.

The rack assemblies 20 and 22 are arranged near the mouth 14 of the bag so that the hollow ridge or flanges 26 and 62 of the plates 24 and 60, respectively, are in 'with tongue 98 on one end of the strap coacting with holes in the other end of the strap.

Fourteen notches or stalls are shown in the rack assemblies to accommodate the standard number of clubs in a set of golf clubs, but it will be understood that any greater or lesser number of notches may be provided.

In use, the wooden headed golf clubs such as the club 160 shown in FIG. 1 are placed in the notches 46 in plate 24, and the iron headed clubs such as the club 102 are placed in the other notches or stalls of the rack assemblies.

The shaft of each club is inserted downwardly into the desired compartment with its head uppermost. The portion of the shaft, of the club adjacent the head is pressed laterally inwardly between the rollers 52 in the notch or stall forcing the rollers apart, thus permitting the shaft to pass inwardly of the rollers 52 which automatically close around the shaft. The shaft is confined between the rollers and edge of the notch thereby preventing any accidental lateral displacement of the shaft or club head. The shaft of the club extends downwardly in the compartment separate from the shafts in the other adjacent compartments. The positioned club can readily be removed manually by forcing the shaft laterally out- Wardly moving the rollers apart to release the shaft whereby the club can be withdrawn from the bag.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of my invention, it will be understood that changes in details of construction might be made without departing from the principle of the invention and I desire to be limited only by the state of the prior art and the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a golf bag having a mouth at one end, a rectangular-shaped plate-like rack assembly in the bag adjacent the mouth, said assembly including a plate having notches in both long side edges thereof, an elongated supporting and partitioning plate secured to the rectangular shaped plate and depending into the interior of the bag partitioning said interior into a plurality of compartments, and means in the notches for holding the shafts of the clubs inserted into the notches in spaced separated condition and against accidental lateral displacement.

2. In a golf bag having a mouth at one end, a platelike' rack assembly in the bag adjacent the month, said assembly including a rectangular plate having notches in both long side edges thereof, an elongated supporting and partitioning plate secured to the rectangular shaped plate a and depending into the interior of the bag partitioning said interior into a plurality of compartments, and springpressed rubber rollers in the notches for yieldably holding the shaft of inserted clubs against accidental lateral displacement.

3. In a golf bag having a mouth at one end, a rack assembly in the bag adjacent the mouth, said assembly including a rectangular shaped platehaving notches in both long side edges thereof, an elongated supporting and partitioning plate securedto the rectangular shaped plate and depending into the interior of the bag partitioning said interior into a plurality of compartments, spring pressed rubber rollers in the notches for yieldably holding the shaft of inserted clubs against accidental lateral displacement, and means for fastening the bottom end of the partitioning plate to the bottom of the bag.

4. In a golf bag having a mouth at one end, a rack assembly in the bag adjacent the mouth, said assembly including a rectangular shaped plate having notches in both long edges thereof, an elongated supporting and partitioning plate secured to the rectangular shaped plate and depending into the interior of the bag partitioning said interior into a plurality of compartments spring pressed rollers in the notches for yieldably holding the shaft of inserted clubs against accidental lateral displacement, means for fastening the bottom end of the partitioning plate to the bottonrof the bag, and means for releasably fastening the rectangular shaped plate to the mouth end of the bag. 7

5. In a golf bag having a mouth at one end, a rack assembly in the bag adjacent the mouth, said assembly including a rectangular plate having notches in bothlong edges thereof, an elongated supporting and partitioning plate secured to the rectangular plate and depending into the interior of the bag partitioning said interior into a plurality of compartments, spring pressed rubber rollers V in the notches for yieldably holding the shaft of inserted clubs against accidental lateral displacement, and a strap for releasably fastening the rectangular plate in the mouth end of the bag.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. IN A GOLF BAG HAVING A MOUTH AT ONE END, A RECTANGULAR-SHAPED PLATE-LIKE RACK ASSEMBLY IN THE BAG ADJACENT THE MOUTH, SAID ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A PLATE HAVING NOTCHES IN BOTH LONG SIDE EDGES THEREOF, AN ELONGATED SUPPORTING AND PARTITIONING PLATE SECURED TO THE RECTANGULAR SHAPED PLATE AND DEPENDING INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE BAG PARTITIONING SAID INTERIOR INTO A PLURALITY OF COMPARTMENTS, AND MEANS IN THE NOTCHES FOR HOLDING THE SHAFTS OF THE CLUBS INSERTED INTO THE NOTCHES IN SPACED SEPARATED CONDITION AND AGAINST ACCIDENTAL LATERAL DISPLACEMENT. 